An objective of the present invention is to improve on the device disclosed in the prior application in terms of greater simplicity of construction and efficiency of operation, and better adaptability to posts of different types, such as cylindrical metal posts and rectangular wood posts.
As in the prior application, the invention is a simple device for manipulating a flexible barrier element, such as a chain or cable, in relationship to a passageway spanned by the barrier element. The device possesses the ability to place the barrier element in a raised taut position across the passageway to effectively block the passageway and to drop the barrier element to a slackened condition at ground level to allow unobstructed passage along the passageway. The device also has the ability to securely lock the barrier element in the elevated taut position. All of the manipulations of the flexible barrier element are accomplished without the necessity for disconnecting the barrier element from the manipulating lever of the device. They are also accomplished without the necessity for the user to handle the flexible barrier element at any time, as it is only necessary for the user to operate the pivoted hand lever.
A feature of the mechanism resides in its ability to hold the flexible barrier member in the raised taut position regardless of whether the mechanism is locked or unlocked. The hand lever will maintain the barrier element raised and taut merely by resting on the adjacent post mounted bracket with the hand lever and flexible barrier element in substantially a dead-center relationship.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.